HSK 5 · Article · 383 characters · Listen: mandarinthewild.com/library/read/why-young-chinese-people-go-to-temples

年轻人为什么去寺庙?

Why are young Chinese people going to temples?

Name: ________________ Date: ________

这zhè几jǐ年nián,在zài中国zhōngguó的de寺庙sìmiào,能néng看到kàndào越来越yuèláiyuè多duō年轻niánqīng的de面孔miànkǒng。旅游lǚyóu网站wǎngzhàn的de数据shùjù显示xiǎnshì,二零二三年èrlíng’èrsānnián以后yǐhòu,去qù寺庙sìmiào参观cānguān的de年轻人niánqīngrén明显míngxiǎn多duō了le。他们tāmen为什么wèishénme去qù寺庙sìmiào?我们wǒmen用yòng几jǐ个gè问题wèntí来lái看看kànkan。

问wèn:年轻人niánqīngrén最zuì喜欢xǐhuān去qù哪些nǎxiē寺庙sìmiào?

答dá:北京běijīng的de雍和宫yōnghégōng特别tèbié受欢迎shòuhuānyíng,周末zhōumò常常chángcháng要yào排pái很hěn长cháng的de队duì。杭州hángzhōu的de灵隐寺língyǐnsì、上海shànghǎi的de静安寺jìng’ānsì,也yě都dōu是shì年轻人niánqīngrén常cháng去qù的de地方dìfang。

问wèn:他们tāmen去qù寺庙sìmiào做zuò什么shénme?

答dá:有的yǒude人rén烧香shāoxiāng许愿xǔyuàn,希望xīwàng考试kǎoshì顺利shùnlì、找到zhǎodào好hǎo工作gōngzuò;有的yǒude人rén只是zhǐshì安安静静ān’ān-jìngjìng地de走zǒu一yì走zǒu,坐zuò一yí坐zuò;还有háiyǒu很hěn多duō人rén喜欢xǐhuān在zài寺庙sìmiào买mǎi一yí串chuàn手串shǒuchuàn,戴dài在zài手shǒu上shàng,觉得juéde能néng带来dàilái好运hǎoyùn。

问wèn:年轻人niánqīngrén都dōu信佛xìnfó吗ma?

答dá:不bù一定yídìng。很hěn多duō年轻人niánqīngrén说shuō,自己zìjǐ并不bìngbú信佛xìnfó,只是zhǐshì工作gōngzuò和hé学习xuéxí压力yālì太tài大dà,想xiǎng找zhǎo一个yígè安静ānjìng的de地方dìfang,让ràng心静xīnjìng下来xiàlai。门票ménpiào不bú贵guì,环境huánjìng又yòu好hǎo,比bǐ去qù别的biéde地方dìfang更gèng能néng放松fàngsōng。

问wèn:网上wǎngshàng怎么zěnme说shuō?

答dá:网上wǎngshàng流行liúxíng一句话yíjùhuà:“上班shàngbān和hé上shàng进jìn,我wǒ选择xuǎnzé上香shàngxiāng。”这zhè句jù话huà听起来tīngqǐlai有点yóudiǎn好笑hǎoxiào,也yě有点yóudiǎn无奈wúnài,说出shuōchū了le很hěn多duō年轻人niánqīngrén的de心情xīnqíng:努力nǔlì了le很hěn久jiǔ,有时候yǒushíhou还是háishi看不到kànbudào结果jiéguǒ,只好zhíhǎo去qù寺庙sìmiào求qiú个gè心安xīn’ān。

也yě有人yǒurén担心dānxīn,年轻人niánqīngrén去qù寺庙sìmiào,是不是shìbúshì在zài逃避táobì现实xiànshí?不过búguò,很hěn多duō人rén觉得juéde,烧香shāoxiāng许愿xǔyuàn以后yǐhòu,再zài回去huíqù继续jìxù努力nǔlì,这zhè也yě没有méiyǒu什么shénme不好bùhǎo。

Key words

WordPinyinMeaning
参观cānguānto visit (a place); to tour
答dáto answer; to reply
排páito arrange; to line up
顺利shùnlìsmoothly; successfully; smooth; without a hitch
戴dàito wear (a hat, glasses, jewelry, etc.)
压力yālìpressure; stress
放松fàngsōngto relax; to loosen
流行liúxíngpopular; fashionable; to be popular; to be in fashion
好笑hǎoxiàofunny; laughable
心情xīnqíngmood; state of mind
结果jiéguǒas a result; in the end; result; outcome
只好zhíhǎoto have no choice but to; to be forced to

English (for the teacher)

In the last few years, more and more young faces can be seen in China’s temples. Figures from travel websites show that since 2023, clearly more young people have been visiting temples. Why do they go? Let’s look through a few questions.

Q: Which temples do young people like most?

A: The Lama Temple in Beijing is especially popular, and at weekends there is often a long queue. Lingyin Temple in Hangzhou and Jing’an Temple in Shanghai are also places young people often go.

Q: What do they do at the temples?

A: Some burn incense and make a wish, hoping to pass an exam or find a good job; some just walk and sit quietly; and many like to buy a bead bracelet at the temple and wear it, feeling it brings good luck.

Q: Are all these young people Buddhists?

A: Not necessarily. Many young people say they aren’t really Buddhist; they are just under too much pressure at work and school, and want a quiet place to calm their minds. Tickets are cheap and the surroundings are lovely, so it’s more relaxing than going elsewhere.

Q: What do people say online?

A: One line is all over the internet: “Go to work or get ahead? I choose to go and burn incense.” It sounds a little funny and a little helpless, and it captures how many young people feel: they work hard for a long time, sometimes still see no results, and can only go to a temple for some peace of mind.

Some people worry: are young people who go to temples running away from real life? But many feel there’s nothing wrong with burning incense and making a wish, then going back and carrying on working hard.